


Rain on the Meadows

by perfectaegyoswag



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Dragons, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternate Universe - Folklore, Dragons, Endgame Lee Donghyuck | Haechan/Moon Taeil, Endgame Mark Lee/Nakamoto Yuta, I can't stress this enough, M/M, the markhyuck is only temporary
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-28
Updated: 2021-01-31
Packaged: 2021-03-13 14:54:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,442
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29030502
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/perfectaegyoswag/pseuds/perfectaegyoswag
Summary: Yuta smiled sadly. "Its kind was called the Zmey. It was said that they were warriors. Warriors for good. Their swords were lighting and their maces were thunder. They fought the Lamia, the drought-bringers, and restored fertility to dried-out lands.“Mark shook his head. His soft brown hair shining in the candlelight. „That was a sad story. Why would you tell me this? Usually your stories have a lesson or are fun at least!“Yuta laughed and took Marks hand in his. „I don’t know, I just remembered it and thought it was oddly fitting for the occasion.“
Relationships: Lee Donghyuck | Haechan/Mark Lee, Lee Donghyuck | Haechan/Moon Taeil, Mark Lee/Nakamoto Yuta
Comments: 2
Kudos: 13





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> So, I need some writing practice since I have basically none and I decided to come here to terrorize all of you. I'm so sorry. But please let me know what you think of this if you want to

The village lay quiet in the night. The waning moon was glowing and the cloudless sky allowed the overheated and barren land a small rest. Yuta looked out of his cottage window and over the the dry and heat singed fields.

„If there is no rain in the coming week, the crops won’t make to the harvest.“

He turned around to Mark who was sitting at the kitchen table preparing the ingredients for their supper. Yuta and him had settled on an agreement that he was in charged of preparing the food before it reached the pots and Yuta handled any actual cooking. He had been banned from touching the stove after his first disastrous attempts at making food that ended in burned food and on one occasion a melted pan and a wooden spoon that had burned to a cinder.

Mark sighed. „Is there really nothing we can do?“

He lowered the knife and looked at Yuta. The man at the window shook his head and smiled gently. He pulled out a chair next to Mark and sat beside him. Shaking his blonde hair out of eyes, he took Mark’s hands in his.

„Have you ever heard the stories about the dragons?“

Mark shook his head. Yuta smiled brilliantly at him and he groaned in defeat.

„Is this one of your dusty tales again?“

Yuta’s grin got brighter and his eyes twinkled. „Of course it is. But this is not my dusty tale. It’s the tale of this village and this country! There is no harm in telling a little story in these hard times and you know what they say… there is a little bit of truth in all stories!“

Mark laughed and continued cutting their shriveled and half-dried tomatoes. „Go on then. We have nothing better to do anyways.“

Yuta nodded and looked at him with a faux sage expression. Then continued. „There is this tale my grandmother used to tell me. And she heard it from her grandmother“ He started, casting weary glances out of the window. Mark took no notice and continued chopping some wild herbs that Yuta had picked on his way home.

„When she was a small child, there was a drought. Much like the one we are having now. The villages crops failed and the river ran dry. Much like it is now. The Eldest did not know what they should do. There was no reason for the river not to flow and bring life to the valley. And yet, it did not flow. So they held council and a young man volunteered to follow the river to its spring to maybe learn the reason why the water stopped flowing. The next day the man rode off to the north and followed the riverbed. He rode out and the rest of the village waited and hoped for his return. And he returned. Several days later he walked back into the village. A handsome young man on a gleaming white horse followed him. The horse of the villager died on his way north. He could not find any water and so, his horse died of thirst. He crawled under the shade of a leaveless tree and rested against its trunk waiting for death to claim him as well. He could not find any water and the land around him was dry and barren. He was sure he would meet the same fate his horse had suffered. But after what seemed like hours, he was roused. He didn’t even noticed he had fallen asleep. And before him stood the handsome young man that he brought to the village with him. The stranger smiled and offered him some water and told him he could help him with his sorrows. For a price of course. Nothing in life ever comes free, does it? But still, the man rejoiced and brought the stranger to his village so a deal could be made and the conditions could be written down and signed.

"The stranger held council with the eldest and he said „I know why your water has run dry. In the spring of the river, on the top of the mountains over there, a vile creature has made their home. The Lamia, bringer of droughts, is living on the bottom of the spring and is now denying the water to flow and nourish your lands. But I can stop the beast. I can help you if you let me and if you help me in return.“

"The Eldest agreed eagerly and asked what the payment would be. They had nothing, but would try to spare what ever they could. Then the stranger looked a them with sad eyes. „I am so very lonely. I long for a partner. When I return and the Lamia has been slain, I wish to take someone from your village with me. A life-partner, someone to keep my company.“

"The Eldest agreed gladly and eagerly. Surely there would be someone in their village who would be willing to marry and a go with a handsome hero. They accepted his offer and the stranger did not loose any time to ride north. He followed the riverbed and the whole village saw him off with hope renewed in their hearts. Then they waited. They waited eagerly for the stranger return and for the water to flow again, down the mountains and through their lands. Nourishing their fields, restoring life. After two days a heavy thunderstorm could be seen over the mountains. Lighting kept flashing over the mountains in the north and thunder was so heavy in the air, the villagers could swear they could feel the tension in the air. The lighting kept flashing and the thunder kept rumbling for hours and hours. But the storm never moved. It stayed right where it was over the mountains in the north.

"The villagers grew restless and unease began to settle within them. What was happing to their hero? Was he trapped in this wicked thunderstorm? Was he unable to advance? Or had he been struck by lighting and died? And what kind of witchcraft was brewing over the mountains? Then the lighting stopped and not long after an unsettling sound could be heard. A sound like the beating of large wings. The Eldest looked to the north and there was a large dragon approaching. Silver scales shining in the sun. In one claw it held a white horse. In the other it held a giant lizard of a sickly yellow with 6 heads and sharp claws. The dragon let the lizard fall over the market square and set the horse gently to the ground. Then he landed next to it. The villagers, of course, hid in their houses, too scared to go out in fear of being eaten alive. Now to be the victim of a dragon instead of hunger and starvation. The brave ones chancing to glance out into the market square, could see the dragon shift. And in its place, there stood the handsome stranger. „I have returned to claim my reward“ He called. „I have done as I promised and have slain the vile Lamia and restored fertility of your lands. Now honor your end of the deal and bring my reward.“

"The villagers, however, felt betrayed and ridiculed. They would not sacrifice one of their own to a dragon to be carried off and be eaten or tortured. They chased him away. One of the Elders knew now what he was and made a concoction to weaken him and drive him out of their village. He left alone, cursing and hissing. Not soon after he left, water began to fill the riverbed again and life returned to the village. It is said they buried the Lamia at the edges of the woods away from the village, but now, no one can remember where it was hidden. Not once has a dragon ever been seen again in this country. It is said that they left. Betrayed and resenting the people that did not honor the word they had given and they vowed to never help those who have lied to them even in their time of need.“

Yuta finished, running a hand through his hair to push it back and out of his eyes. He looked at Mark and grabbed for the glass of cooled tea he had prepared and sat before him while he had been talking.

„But what was the stranger? And why was he chased away when he helped the village?“ Mark pressed on, now eager and invested in his partner’s tale despite his initial reluctance.

Yuta smiled sadly. „Because we human are fickle and full of distrust of what we don’t know. And the dragon was a creature that was not seen in decades before the tale and became a thing of legend after. Its kind was called the Zmey. It was said that they were warriors. Warriors for good. Their swords were lighting and their maces were thunder. They fought the Lamia, the drought-bringers, and restored fertility to dried-out lands.“

Mark shook his head. His soft brown hair shining in the candlelight. „That was a sad story. Why would you tell me this? Usually your stories have a lesson or are fun at least!“

Yuta laughed and took Marks hand in his. „I don’t know, I just remembered it and thought it was oddly fitting for the occasion.“ He pressed a kiss to Mark’s temple. „But you’re right. Let’s eat and go to bed and forget about sadness. We should look forward and see what tomorrow will bring us.“

He glanced out of the window again. His eyes widened as he gestured Mark to follow his gaze.

In the mountains to the north, lightning was flashing and big drops of rain started to hit the windows of their little home.


	2. Chapter 2

„The rain really came at the right time, huh?“, said Taeil working steadily through the laundry that was piled in a wooden basket next to him. „I was nearly out of clean clothes to wear.“ He laughed. „A few more weeks and I would have had to choose to either wear my winter clothes or nothing at all.“

Mark smiled at him while scrubbing one of Yuta’s breeches. „I guess all of us were lucky then.“

Taeil cast him an affronted look. „How dare you! You all would have been bl-“ He stopped.

A little distance away from them, two strangers settled down filling their water skins and letting their horse - a brilliant white steed - drink from the river.

One of the strangers noticed Mark and Taeil on the riverbank.

„Ah, Injunnie! Why didn’t you think of bringing our laundry with you to wash it! You even would have had company and could have made some friends!“ He exclaimed running a hand through his silver hair trying to push it out of his eyes only for it to fall right back to where it was before.

His companion glared at him. „Why me?! You have your own working hands! Even better, you have a horse! Shouldn’t you have brought your clothes yourself if they needed washing? You wouldn’t even have had to carry them!“

Mark looked at Taeil in confusion. He rarely saw anyone apart from the people of their village out here by the river and he had never seen either of the two men before.

Taeil raised an arm in greeting. The stranger with the silver hair responded in kind and send them a cheerful little wave. His companion was still scowling at him.

„Hello there! Are you from the village over there?“ He asked approaching them further.

Taeil nodded, eyeing the strangers wearily. He was cautious of their intentions. Not many people came to their remote corner of the country.

„Yes, there is not much else in this area. I’m Taeil and this is my friend Mark. We are just here to do our laundry. We don’t really have anything on us except, well…“ He gestured towards the baskets of clothes next to them.

The stranger smiled and looked a them with a soft expression. „Well, it is nice to meet you, Taeil and Mark. I’m Donghyuck and this is Renjun, my companion.“ Renjun snorted. „That’s a nice way to put it.“ Donghyuck waved at him dismissively. „Details.“ He said and turned his attention to Mark and Taeil again.

„As I said, it is really nice to meet you two“, he said his eyes, however, lingered on Mark. „We just arrived in the area and are slowly settling down. It is a delight to meet some of the locals already.“

Mark looked at him in confusion. „You are settling down? But where? Except from our village, there is nothing here and I think we would have noticed if anyone arrived there.“

Donghyuck laughed. „Oh no! We are settling a bit further to the north. There is a nice place we found. Perfect for me and Injunnie. Especially after doing a little cleaning.“ His eyes sparkled in delight as he laughed at what seemed a private joke between the strangers. Renjun shook his head with a fond smile.

Taeil cocked his head. Donghyuck did not seem like a villager or someone who would want to live in a remote little house in the middle of nowhere. His tan skin was clear and glowing, his clothes looked well fitted and of better quality and material then anything he owned and his horse was a well-fed steed and not the kind of working horse a commoner would own. Taeil knew more than Mark of the lands that surrounded the village and he never seen any estates further to the north.

The strangers stayed for a little while continuing talking to them until Renjun started to turn to the horse busied himself with preparing their leave. Then he stepped closer to Donghyuck and whispered something into his ear. Donghyuck nodded and turned to Mark and Taeil again.

„Well, it was really nice to meet the both of you, but, it seems like we have to say goodbye for now. I’m sure we will see each other again soon.“ He smiled gently at Mark and nodded at Taeil before turning around and walking away. Renjun leading the horse hurried after him.

Taeil watched them go for a few moments before turning to Mark. „I think we should go home as well, the sun is setting, and I would prefer delivering you home, before Yuta comes out searching for you.“

Mark smiled sheepishly. „I guess you’re right. We can do the rest tomorrow.“

Taeil shook his head. „I have work to do tomorrow. If you want to come out here again, you are on your own.“

Mark sighed. „But doing it alone is so boring.“

Laughing Taeil shook his head. „You will survive. I’m sure of it.“

*

The next days, Taeil was busy and had no time to check in with Yuta or Mark. His little cottage at the edge of the village was flooded by people demanding his help with all kinds of injuries and little sorrows. Now that the work in the village picked up again with the growing crops and life continued as it was before the drought, people seemed to get more reckless. He had to look at several sprains, a nasty cut that was treated so poorly that it got infected and caused a severe fever, and one of his neighbours distracted him for several hours with the gossip of the town under the guise of being _sick with worry_. Taeil did not have the heart to force the woman to leave so he poured her cups of chamomile tea and listened patiently.

After she finally left, he hurriedly closed and barred his door breathing a sigh of relieve. He still had to take the inventory. He noticed that most of his salves and ointments where running low and he needed to pick most of the herbs since the drought made a considerable dent into his stock. But this would have to wait for tomorrow.

He had just decided to prepare a quick supper and go to bed, when a sharp knock on his door pulled him from his thoughts.

„I’m closed for the day.“

The knock sounded again. Taeil sighed.

„Unless you’re dying, please come back tomorrow!“

There was no response, but another string of sharp knocks came. Taeil forced himself up and stalked to the door.

„Well, what is it? I hope it is urgent!“ He wrenched open the door and halted in his tracks. In front of him stood Donghyuck, hand raised for another knock. As soon as the door opened, he beamed at Taeil.

„Hallo?“ Taeil asked confused. „How did you get here and how can I help you?“

Donghyuck gestured lazily in the direction of his white horse that was grazing in front of his house. „I just wanted to talk to you.“ He was still smiling at Taeil. „I even brought some things to eat. Talking is always better if you don’t do it on an empty stomach. May I come in?“ He asked, already inching forward and trying to brush past Taeil with the sureness of someone who was not used to being denied.

Taeil stepped aside and let the young man inside. He strode past him, depositing the linen bundle he was carrying on the table. Taeil closed the door behind them.

Donghyuck sniffled slightly as he sat down and Taeil busied himself with cleaning his table. Several stray herbs, tools and little jars still cluttered the surface.

„Can I offer you some tea?“ Donghyuck eyed the jar of dried herbs in his hand suspiciously for a few seconds before he smiled brightly again. „Water is fine for me.“

Taeil nodded slowly and put the jar back on the self and continued setting the table. He unwrapped the bread, ham and cheeses that Donghyuck had brought and finally settled down with a big jug of water for the both of them. The summer heat was still oppressive and the thick cottage walls could only do so much when his doors stood open the whole day.

„So, what did you want to talk about? I’m sure you didn’t come to me for medical advise or anything of the sort.“

„You have an impressive amount of books.“ Donghyuck said glancing around the room.

The room they were in took up nearly the whole first floor. It was Taeil’s kitchen and it was where he treated his costumers. All available space that was not taken over with his stove and various herbs, spices and tools of his craft, were lined with shelves of books and papers.

Taeil smiled. He was proud of his collection and prided himself even more in his dedication to learning and improving his skills.

„It is part of my trade. I should at least be able to look things up, when I don't know how to help someone who needs it right away.“

Donghyuck nodded. „That is fair. But folk tales and legends will not help you curing any wounds, will they?“ He asked, eyes lingering on a rather flamboyantly decorated spine. Taeil followed his line of sight.

„Oh, this was a gift from a friend of mine. He loves old tales and thought I might want to read something different to my medical journals and botanical guides once in a while.“ Taeil ruffled his hair sheepishly. „To be honest, I think he just wanted someone to talk about his stories.“

He looked at Donghyuck. His eyes seemed to almost gleam golden in the candle light illuminating the room. Taeil swallowed, tightly gripping the leg of the table out of Donghyuck's sight. „Why are you here?“

Donghyuck sighed. „I made my choice. What can you tell me about Mark?“, he asked.

Taeil shook his head. „Nothing you or your friend have not yet found out. He is a nice boy. Likes to help everyone. He lives with Yuta in small cottage on the other side of the village.“ He counted on his fingers. He looked Donghyuck straight in the eyes. „He is already taken. You should choose someone else.“

„But who would I pick?“ Donghyuck asked holding Taeil’s stare. „He seems kind and is about Renjun’s age. They could be friends. And I want him.“

Taeil’s eyes turned pleading. „Is there really noone else you can choose?“

„My mind is made up. Tomorrow, I will collect my reward.“ Donghyuck looked at Taeil with pity „You should get some rest. You look exhausted.“ He touched his face and Taeil felt his eyes close as sleep started to claim him.


End file.
